Wearable disposable absorbent articles, such as diapers, incontinence garments, feminine garments and the like, have wide-spread utility in both domestic and institutional settings for such purposes as the care of infants, the management of bodily efflux or exudate and the management of incontinence.
Known wearable disposable absorbent articles comprise a front panel, a back panel, and a crotch panel bridging the front panel and the back panel. The crotch panel comprises a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core provided between the topsheet and the backsheet. Absorbent articles of this type are disclosed in WO 2012/014660 A1, WO 2013/161700 A1, US 2008/0132871 A1 and US 2009/0240221 A1.
In the absorbent article of WO 2012/014660 A1, the backsheet of the crotch panel has an outer nonwoven cloth which extends along the entire length of the crotch panel.
Such a nonwoven cloth gives the outer surface of the absorbent article a comfortable, cloth-like feel. However, the nonwoven cloth may obscure printed regions provided on the front panel and/or the back panel and/or restrict the areas of these panels in which printing can be performed without subsequent obstruction by the cloth. Further, cutting out portions of the nonwoven cloth, so as to provide printable areas, results in significant material losses, thus increasing the production costs.
Hence, there remains a need for a wearable disposable absorbent article which is soft and pliable, yields a large printable area, allowing for clear and sharp prints with good visibility to be provided, and can be manufactured in a cost-efficient manner, while offering a high degree of leakage protection.